We use cookies on Auto Trader so we can show you the most relevant content and ads, and keep improving our site.
By continuing to use our site you consent to the use of cookies. See our privacy and cookie policy.

Like other kinds of finance, it allows you to spread the cost of your car over a period of time. Simply part with an initial down payment and a monthly sum to kick the agreement off. However, with a PCP, you defer repayment of part of the overall sum to the end of the agreement. That means lower monthly bills, allowing you access to a more expensive car than you would otherwise be able to afford, but it does mean you’re faced with a large balloon payment at the end.

The best thing about PCPs being so popular is that they’re very widely available, giving you the opportunity to get into some of the best cars on the market. Here, we pick out our favourite models in various different areas of the market, and point you toward the PCP deals currently on offer.

The small car one - Ford Fiesta

The small family car one – Volkswagen Golf

The large family car one – Skoda Superb

The small SUV one - Skoda Karoq

The big SUV one – Skoda Kodiaq

The MPV one – Seat Alhambra

The fun one - Mazda MX-5

The estate car one – Mercedes E-Class Estate

The electric one – Renault Zoe

The small car one - Ford Fiesta

The Fiesta is our current favourite of the small car crop, and that’s primarily down to the way it drives. It delivers a mixture of sharp handling, comfy ride and punchy performance that its rivals simply can’t match. The latest version also feels like a really sophisticated little car, with a cabin that’s roomy, quiet, packed with tech and trimmed with reasonably posh materials. We’d point you towards one of the 1.0-litre Ecoboost versions, and towards the five-door model over the less practical three-door.

There’s a good reason why the Golf is so popular, and that’s because it’s so, well, good. It puts in class-leading performances in several areas, and even in those areas where it doesn’t, it’s among the best of the rest. That makes it the best car in its class and one of the best all-rounders it’s possible to buy. Classy, desirable, practical, user-friendly, well equipped, great to drive and financially sensible, it delivers pretty much everything any driver could want.

There are cars that are better than the Skoda Superb, but there are none that offer the blend of space, quality, features and ride comfort for the same price. The Superb lives up to its name and comes with a range of engines and trim levels to suit different tastes. Other rivals may best it in different areas, but you’ll have to spend much more to get them.

There are a lot of Skodas in this list, but it’s not favouritism on our part, it’s just that they’re making really good cars at the moment. The Karoq ticks almost all the boxes for a family SUV and it’s hard to fault in any area, as we found in our long-term report, which you can read here. It drives well, it’s practical, it’s well made, it’s safe and comes with lots of kit.

The Skoda Kodiaq does everything that a growing family could want. It looks the business for starters, and with a seven-seat cabin that’s as impressive for quality as it is for space and versatility, everyone inside feels spoiled. It’s also better to drive than many of its seven-seat SUV rivals, but what’s more, it’s also considerably more affordable than most of them, too. Which version should you pick? Well, SE-L Nav trim will give you all the equipment you’ll want for a reasonable outlay, while the 150 horsepower diesel engine gives you all the power you need.

A good MPV needs two things above all others – space and versatility – and the Alhambra does these things better than any of its rivals. The space comes courtesy of the car’s enormous proportions and boxy design, and allows seven adults to sit comfortably. The versatility comes from seven individual chairs that fold individually, and most of them slide and recline as well, giving you myriad options about how you carry people and luggage. It’s also good to drive and more affordable than many of its competitors.

The Mazda MX-5 combines three things that are extremely important to car buyers. It’s great fun to drive, it looks the business and it’s really affordable, and it becomes even more affordable when you spread the cost with a PCP deal. Deals are available on both bodystyles, and they’re both really good, but we’d recommend the RF version, with its folding hard top, over the soft-top version. It’s a wee bit more expensive, but it’s also more desirable.

There’s one key thing that makes a good estate car, and that’s a boot that’s big enough to get lost in. Happily, the E-Class Estate has the beating of all its immediate rivals on that score, and the space is also cleverly packaged, meaning that it should have the tools to cope with pretty much any situation that family life can throw at it. There’s plenty more going for it besides, too. It’s comfortable and sophisticated to drive, lovely inside and is dripping with quality and desirability.

There are plenty of decent electric cars on the market now, as zero-emission motoring grows in popularity. But there are few cars that offer as much for a low price as Renault’s Zoe. It combines a grown-up and relaxing driving experience with decent quality and practicality, and it's affordable to buy and own.